Site to raise awareness for Charcot Marie Tooth. Discuss my quest to run the Boston Marathon while having CMT. Talk about training and doing marathons, half marathons, triathalons and duathalons. Discuss being an athlete with a disability.

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Wednesday, October 26, 2011

" Impossible is not a word, It's just a reason not to try." Kutlass from the song "What faith can do."

When Team CMT member Joyce Kelly contacted the national CMTA about starting a running team, she was told people with CMT don't run. I was told by more than one physical therapist that people with CMT can't run. Well we can and I am going to prove it one more time on Sunday at the Marine Corp Marathon.

Marathons are tough. The physical part of running 26 miles is not easy. This is marathon number 6 and I know the pain that waits on the course. The toughest part of the marathon is mental. It is tough for me to keep going when all I want to do is quit or at least walk. Every time when I toe that starting line, I wonder if I can do it one more time. What has helped me mentally every time is

dedicating the race to someone. In May I dedicated the Madison marathon to my mom. This time it's the members of Team CMT.

I am dedicating this race to the athletes of Team CMT. First to my teammates who have CMT. Many of you were told not to run, but you did it anyways. CMT makes us slow and presents challenges, but it can't keep us from the sports we love. Joyce, Jude, Jess, Jane, Richard, Michael, Donna, Erika, Cody, Dale and Tosha, you inspire me. When I get frustrated about being slow and complain about injuries, you all remind me how lucky we are to still be running.

To all the Team CMT members running for family members;Bill, Karen, Kathy, Pam, Dawn, Gary, Tashua, Megan, Charlie, Tim, Alyssa, Shirley,Ruth, Will, Shelia and Emmalee. Thanks for your support and your willingness to raise awareness for your family members. It means more to us then we can possible say.

Finally to all the other Team CMT members who are running just because one of us asked you to help, Cheryl, Robert, Katie, Morgan, Tony, David, Paul, Gloria, Brett, Scott, Jim, Kevin, Kim, Ruth, Glydnis, and Anthony. Some of you I havn't ever met, but you stepped forward when one of us asked. What a true act of love. Your kindness means more than I can say.

My running partner Cheryl will also be running. She was my very first team member. She listened patiently as I talked on and on about forming this team and listened to my ideas for singlet designs. She continues to be one of our most ardent supporters. She has been with me for virutally every race and will be running the 10 K on Sunday and providing moral support. Thanks Cheryl!!

I will be running for all of you, doing what many of us have been told is impossible. We aren't supposed to exercise too hard and definately not to run marathons. Sunday will be tough because I am fighting a couple injuries. But it won't be impossible because I will be carrying the good wishes, hopes and faith of Team CMT with me. Thanks Guys! The finsher medal at the end is always sweet. This time it will be even better. There are expected to be 100,000 spectators on the course. We will be doing a lot of awarness raising with this race. See you at the finish.

Chris Wodke
Founder & Manager Team CMT
www.run4cmt.com

Team CMT is a group of athletes and supporters working to raise awareness and to find a cure for CMT. We have almost 100 members in 17 states. If you wish to join us visit our web site.

CMT or Charcot-Marie-Tooth is the most commonly inherited peripheral neuropathy. It affects over 155,000 Americans (as many as MS). It is a disease of the nerves that control the muscles. It is slowly progressive, causing loss of normal function and or sensation in the lower legs/feet and arms/hands.

Symptoms include; muscle wasting in the lower legs and feet leading to foot drop, poor balance and gait problems Atrophy in the hands causes difficulty with manual dexterity.

Structural foot deformities such as high arches and hammer toes are common.

Poor tolerance for cool or cold temperatures and many people have chronically cold hands and feet.

Racing can be a fun experience. To be sure things go smoothly the day of the event you want to keep a few things in mind to make sure everything goes smoothly:

Location

Do you homework and get directions to the venue. Give yourself plenty of time to arrive at the location and park your car. Sometimes directions are wrong on event web sites so give yourself plenty of time on race day.

Pick up your race packet early.

Pay close attention to pick up times and location for your race packet.If you like to sleep in on race day pick up your packet in the days before the race. Some marathons do not have pick up on race morning so check pre race instructions carefully. It you are picking up your packet the day of the race get there early. Most pick-up ends 15-30 minutes before the event. Get there early enough to take care of any problems with your registration, it does happen. Also be sure to pick up your timing chip.

Race Number
Wearing your number wrong will point you out as a newbie. The number goes on the front of your shirt. Lots of new runners make the mistake of pinning it to the back of their running shirt.

Wear tried-and-true running apparel.

It is considered among runners bad luck to wear your event shirt in the actual event.It is considered cool to wear that shirt at another event.The cotton shirts often given are not good for anything longer than a 5 K or during hot humid weather.Never wear brand new gear on race day. Try out anything you will be wearing in workouts. Race day is never the time to sport new shoes. Break in your shoes by walking in them for a day, and then wear them for at least a few workouts.

Try to get a good night’s sleep.

A good night’s sleep will make your feel better on race day and help you perform better. Expect to be nervous and lose some sleep before the big event. You will still be ok if you got good sleep the rest of the week.

Fuel your body.

Stick to the type of food you ate during training. Pasta with veggies is good, but go easy on the cheese.Be sure to stay away from alcohol and drink plenty of water the day before the event.
It is very important to eat breakfast. Experiment with what works for you and stick with it on race morning. Oatmeal, yogurt, bananas are all good choices.

Hydrate.

Drink some water first thing in the morning when you wake up.The amount you take will depend on you, the race length and the weather. A few ounces at each aid station are good. Do not over do the water.Drink when you work out and you will know how much fluid your body needs. The right amount of water will also help in your recovery.Drink water after the race and stay away from alcohol at least for a few hours.

Starting Line

Seed yourself appropriately based on your training runs and past races.Most races have projected per minute times posted. Please don’t line up near the front and make runners pick around you so they can run. Be considerate. If you are a middle of the pack runner, line up in the middle.Race times are based on chip times now, so the clock doesn’t start until you hit the mat at the starting line. No need to line up too far in front.

Pacing

Most beginning racers make the mistake of going out way too fast, and then die in the last miles. Go out conservatively. Hold back a bit to warm up. Go out within your ability and you will be passing lots of runners in the last mile. Aim to run a second half of your race that is faster than the first half.

Saturday, October 22, 2011

Welcome Charlie Norris and his nephew Michael Gene Falcone to Team CMT. They are pictured here at a pasta dinner hosted by Michaels grandparents Jo and Gene Falcone. The dinner was done as a fundraiser for CMT in honor of Michael who has CMT.. I love how proudly they wear their Team CMT shirts. You guys look great! They also raised over $3000 at this dinner! Way to go Falcones!!

Charlie is a 52 year old marathoner from White Pines, New York. He is currently training for the Philadelphia Marathon on November 20th. He is in Team CMT member Jude Burton's circle of friends. Jude will be running the half marathon the same day.

Charlie describes himself as a doer. He put together this fund raising video for his marathon effort. When I watched the video I can see why Charlie runs. All of us on Team CMT run for those like Michael affected by this disease. We run because we can and we run for those that can't. Our mission and vision is a world without CMT. Charlie told me he is excited up the Philadelphia run. Running much less running a marathon is out of reach for most of those affected by CMT.

Way to go guys and welcome to Team CMT. Good luck in Philadelphia. We cheer your efforts and thank you for being on Team CMT.

Chris Wodke
Founder & Manager Team CMT
www.run4cmt.com

Team CMT is a group of athletes and supporters working to raise awareness and to find a cure for CMT. We have almost 100 members in 17 states. If you wish to join us visit our web site.

CMT or Charcot-Marie-Tooth is the most commonly inherited peripheral neuropathy. It affects over 155,000 Americans (as many as MS). It is a disease of the nerves that control the muscles. It is slowly progressive, causing loss of normal function and or sensation in the lower legs/feet and arms/hands.

Symptoms include; muscle wasting in the lower legs and feet leading to foot drop, poor balance and gait problems Atrophy in the hands causes difficulty with manual dexterity.

Structural foot deformities such as high arches and hammer toes are common.

Poor tolerance for cool or cold temperatures and many people have chronically cold hands and feet.

Wednesday, October 19, 2011

"It does not matter how slow you go as long as you do not stop." Lao-Tzu

Welcome our newest members to Team CMT, Richard Cook, Ruth Cook and their trainer Katie Ayala.
Their son Will has also joined, but is not pictured. For the Cook family running and raising awareness for CMT is a family affair.

Katie is owner of Off-da-Couch training and not only Ruth and Richard's trainer, but their good friend as well. Katie is very excited about helping Team CMT spread awarness and is working on a possible bike ride and 5K next year. Katie has an aunt that lives in Milwaukee , so I hope to meet Katie the next time she visits.

Richard was recently featured in the national CMTA Newsletter and I contacted him to ask him to join Team CMT. Richard joins me as the other Team CMT member with this disease to have completed a marathon. Some studies have shown it takes a person with CMT twice as much enrgy to do a task. Imagine running a marathon with that challenge. Richard has faced the challenge of running a long distance race several times. Many athletes on the team were told not to exercise. Many doctors still tell their patients not to exercise too hard. Running a marathon would be outside the advise of most neurologists. Runners like Richard and the other athletes on the Team with CMT are proving the doctors wrong.

Richard and several family members including his mother Mildred and his brother Mike have CMT. Richard was diagnosed when he was in 4th grade and had his first foot surgery in 8th grade. He could not particpate in sports in high school because he could not run fast enough. That did not stop him from being active by playing sports with his friends or playing in a church volleyball and softball league.

Richard never thought about running long distance because as he said in the story in CMTA article "these legs don't run". In 2010 he signed up for the Marine Corp Half Marathon. He was afraid he would not make the 18 min mile cut off time so he started trainig with Katie. His son Will and wife Ruth joined him in the run. Richard finished in 3:06. After that he trained and completed the Richmond Marathon last Novemeber in 6:01. He will be running the Richmond Marathon on November 12th.

Richard and Ruth have a son Will who is 17 and volunteers with the Chancellor Fire Department. He hopes one day to become a professional fire fighter. He was busy working at the fire station when this photo was taken.So far dispite having a 50/50 chance of getting CMT, he is showing no symptoms.Will has completed two Marine Corp half marathons and the Sun Trust Richmond Half Marathon. Looks like there are a lot of heros in this family.

Richard and Ruth have will celebrate their 20th anniversary next June. Ruth is 50 years old and is an office manager for Mid Atlantic Construction Group in Fredericks, Virginia. She is also involved in the childrens ministry at her church. She shared with them this week about Richard's CMT and pointed them to our web site to help educate them on CMT. Ruth has also completed two Marine Corp Half Marathons, the Sun Trust Half marathon and a number of local 5K's. She says she is not the fastest runner, but taking up running has helped her to feel much better. She plans to make her next 50 years better physically than the last 50.

One of the great things about starting Team CMT is the inspiring stories I hear from athletes with CMT like Richard. They mirror my story and inspire me to keep running and raising awareness. Even better I will be meeting Ruth and Richard at the end of October when I run the Marine Corp Marathon. They live only 45 miles from Washington D.C. Looking forward to meeting this inpiring family. Welcome to Team CMT Cook family.

Team CMT is a group of athletes and supporters working to raise awareness and to find a cure for CMT. We have almost 100 members in 17 states. If you wish to join us visit our web site.

CMT or Charcot-Marie-Tooth is the most commonly inherited peripheral neuropathy. It affects over 155,000 Americans (as many as MS). It is a disease of the nerves that control the muscles. It is slowly progressive, causing loss of normal function and or sensation in the lower legs/feet and arms/hands.

Symptoms include; muscle wasting in the lower legs and feet leading to foot drop, poor balance and gait problems Atrophy in the hands causes difficulty with manual dexterity.

Structural foot deformities such as high arches and hammer toes are common.

Poor tolerance for cool or cold temperatures and many people have chronically cold hands and feet.

Saturday, October 15, 2011

Racing can be a fun experience. There are some things that can make you more successful, whether you are running a 5K or your first marathon.To be sure things go smoothly the day of the event you want to keep a few things in mind:

Location

Do you homework and get directions to the venue. Give yourself plenty of time to arrive at the location and park your car. Sometimes directions are wrong on event web sites so give yourself plenty of time on race day.

Pick up your race packet early.

Pay close attention to pick up times and location for your race packet. If you like to sleep in on race day pick up your packet in the days before the race. Some marathons do not have pick up on race morning so check pre race instructions carefully. It you are picking up your packet the day of the race get there early. Most pick-up ends 15-30 minutes before the event. Get there early enough to take care of any problems with your registration, it does happen. Also be sure to pick up your timing chip.

Race Number
Wearing your number wrong will point you out as a newbie. The number goes on the front of your shirt. Lots of new runners make the mistake of pinning it to the back of their running shirt. If you are in an event that is being photographed, be sure to wear the number on the front and make it visible. If you want to purchase race photos they will be identified by your race number.

Wear tried-and-true running apparel.

It is considered among runners bad luck to wear your event shirt in the actual event. It is considered cool to wear that shirt at another event. The cotton shirts often given are not good for anything longer than a 5 K or during hot humid weather. Never wear brand new gear on race day. Try out anything you will be wearing in workouts. Race day is never the time to sport new shoes. Break in your shoes by walking in them for a day, and then wear them for at least a few workouts.

Try to get a good night’s sleep.

A good night’s sleep will make your feel better on race day and help you perform better. Expect to be nervous and lose some sleep before the big event. You will still be ok if you got good sleep the rest of the week.

Fuel your body.

Stick to the type of food you ate during training. Pasta with veggies is good, but go easy on the cheese. Be sure to stay away from alcohol and drink plenty of water the day before the event.
It is very important to eat breakfast. Experiment with what works for you and stick with it on race morning. Oatmeal, yogurt, bananas are all good choices.

Hydrate.

Drink some water first thing in the morning when you wake up. The amount you take will depend on you, the race length and the weather. A few ounces at each aid station are good. Do not over do the water. Drink when you work out and you will know how much fluid your body needs. The right amount of water will also help in your recovery. Drink water after the race and stay away from alcohol at least for a few hours.

Starting Line

Seed yourself appropriately based on your training runs and past races. Most races have projected per minute times posted. Please don’t line up near the front and make runners pick around you so they can run. Be considerate. If you are a middle of the pack runner, line up in the middle. Race times are based on chip times now, so the clock doesn’t start until you hit the mat at the starting line. No need to line up too far in front.

Pacing

Most beginning racers make the mistake of going out way too fast, and then die in the last miles. Go out conservatively. Hold back a bit to warm up. Go out within your ability and you will be passing lots of runners in the last mile. Aim to run a second half of your race that is faster than the first half.

Chris WodkeFounder & Manager Team CMTwww.run4cmt.com

Team CMT is a group of athletes and supporters working to raise awareness and to find a cure for CMT. We have almost 100 members in 17 states. If you wish to join us visit our web site.

CMT or Charcot-Marie-Tooth is the most commonly inherited peripheral neuropathy. It affects over 155,000 Americans (as many as MS). It is a disease of the nerves that control the muscles. It is slowly progressive, causing loss of normal function and or sensation in the lower legs/feet and arms/hands.

Symptoms include; muscle wasting in the lower legs and feet leading to foot drop, poor balance and gait problems Atrophy in the hands causes difficulty with manual dexterity.

Structural foot deformities such as high arches and hammer toes are common.

Poor tolerance for cool or cold temperatures and many people have chronically cold hands and feet.

Wednesday, October 12, 2011

Jenny Crain, a local Milwaukee runner suffered serious head and neck injuries after being hit by a car while training on the east side of Milwaukee, Wisconsin on August 21, 2007.

Crain was four-time Olympic Trials qualifier in the marathon. She represented the U.S. in the marathon at the 2005 World Track & Field Championships, and was the top U.S. finisher at the 2004 ING New York City Marathon. Crain finished 11th at the 2004 U.S. Olympic Marathon Trials in 2:37:36.Crain is still working to recover from that accident. A number of fundraising efforts have been put together over the years to help Crain including a cookbook. You may have read about the recent World Record effort of the group of 60 plus runners that ran Lakefront Marathon tethered together as a fundraiser for Jenny. They raised $107,000 for her. If you want to help check out this site;http://www.jennycrain.net, where you can also make a direction donation to the Jenny Crain "Make It Happen" Fund.

You want to do everything you can to be safe as you run. Here are some tips to stay safe during your run:Traffic
Always run against traffic. You will have a clear view of the traffic. Be especially careful of cars making turns. If you run with traffic, cars making right turns will be behind you. Run against traffic for a better view. Cars will not see you, make contact and run defensively.Traffic Lights
Never cross in intersection when the “don’t walk” light is flashing or on. Don’t take a chance the intersection is clear. Make eye contact with drivers to be sure they see you. Motion them through the intersection so you can be sure it is clear.

Make a presence
Wear bright colors to help drivers spot you. If you have to run at night wear reflective colors and be extra mindful of traffic. Carry pepper spray to deter dogs and other unfriendly types.

Routes
Women need to be extra careful. Stay to well traveled and well lit areas. Avoid running alone at night and early in the morning. Stay on main streets if running at night or early in the morning. Stay away from remote areas of trails or bike paths if running alone. Vary your running route and run in low crime areas.

Hearing
It can be great to run with music. Keep the volume low enough so you can hear traffic or someone coming up behind you. Always be aware of your surroundings. Look for “safe” areas like gas stations you can run to if needed.

Cash
What if you pull a hamstring on a long run. You may want to have some cash to get home or bring a cell phone to call for a ride.

Chris WodkeFounder & Manager Team CMTwww.run4cmt.com

Team CMT is a group of athletes and supporters working to raise awareness and to find a cure for CMT. We have almost 100 members in 17 states. If you wish to join us visit our web site.

CMT or Charcot-Marie-Tooth is the most commonly inherited peripheral neuropathy. It affects over 155,000 Americans (as many as MS). It is a disease of the nerves that control the muscles. It is slowly progressive, causing loss of normal function and or sensation in the lower legs/feet and arms/hands.

Symptoms include; muscle wasting in the lower legs and feet leading to foot drop, poor balance and gait problems Atrophy in the hands causes difficulty with manual dexterity.

Structural foot deformities such as high arches and hammer toes are common.

Poor tolerance for cool or cold temperatures and many people have chronically cold hands and feet.

Sunday, October 9, 2011

"I believe God made me for a purpose.....But he also made me fast, and when I run I feel his pleasure."
Eric Liddell
Chariots of Fire

Today was one of those days I know exactly how Eric Liddell felt. I had a 20 mile run to do today.
As I went out the door I realized it was one of those days we all live for in Wisconsin. Fall is my favorite season and it was a perfect fall day. If I never ran again I would want to remember this as my last run.

I ran on sidewalks colored gold with fallen leaves. I loved the sound of leaves crunching under my feet as I logged the miles. Part of my run was along lake Michigan and the water matched the color of the sky, both sapphire blue. It was warm with just a slight breeze. What at day for a run and to be alive. There really is a runner's high and I am going to feel great for hours. Days like today are why I run. I got to run through six parks on my route, all full of fall follage of gold, red and green all lit by golden sunlight. I will carry the memory of told through the long winter months ahead. I am not fast, but I felt the pleasure of being a runner and being alive on such a fantastic day.

This 20 mile run was my last long hard work out before Marine Corp Marathon. In exactly 3 weeks I will toe the line with 30,000 other runners. I picked this race for my 6th marathon because the course is lined with 100,000 spectators. It will be a great opportunity to raise awareness for CMT as Team CMT member Cheryl Monnat and I participate. Cheryl will be running in the 10K.

I feel great that I was able to finish this workout at all. I have had a sinus infection for 2 weeks. I totally lost my voice for over a week. Anyone who knows me will understand how tough that is because I love to talk. I am still not totally over it and found out this morning I can cough and run at the same time. I almost have it beat and expect to be completely healthy on race day.

I have also been fighting turf toe since mid July. I had to cut back on some runs, but today the foot was fine. My legs also feel great. Getting 20 miles done is always tough. I always wonder how I will run 6 more on race day. Race day magic always takes over and I get it done.

I'm ready and can't wait for race day. There is no pressure since I ran Madison to qualify for Boston. This one is just for fun and to feel good. Just like today.

Chris Wodke
Founder & Manager Team CMT
www.run4cmt.com

Team CMT is a group of athletes and supporters working to raise awareness and to find a cure for CMT. We have almost 100 members in 17 states. If you wish to join us visit our web site.

CMT or Charcot-Marie-Tooth is the most commonly inherited peripheral neuropathy. It affects over 155,000 Americans (as many as MS). It is a disease of the nerves that control the muscles. It is slowly progressive, causing loss of normal function and or sensation in the lower legs/feet and arms/hands.

Symptoms include; muscle wasting in the lower legs and feet leading to foot drop, poor balance and gait problems Atrophy in the hands causes difficulty with manual dexterity.

Structural foot deformities such as high arches and hammer toes are common.

Poor tolerance for cool or cold temperatures and many people have chronically cold hands and feet.

Sunday, October 2, 2011

" It's like tacking a PhD a the end of your name, getting married, having a baby, Your life will never again be quite the same, and regardless of what the future brings, you can look back and say, 'I finished a marathon.'"- Hal Higdon

Team CMT has three new members of the marathon finishers club. Robert Kearney, Cheryl Monnat and Kim Petak all finished the October 2011 Lakefront Marathon this afternoon.

I met all three at the start for a group photo. It was 41F and would climb to 67F by the race end. There was no wind and it was a perfect day for the race. Lakefront is flat with a couple of down hill portions for a fast course. Kim finished under 4:00 at around 3:56. This was her first marathon in 20 years.

This was Roberts first marathon. In March he was calling Cheryl and myself hard core for running the half marathon at Trailbreaker while he ran the 5K. Robert finished today in 4:18 and he is offically hard core.

Cheryl had a tough day. She and Robert ran together and they were cruising on a pace for Cheryl to qualify for Boston. At mile 14 her sciatic nerve got so painful she had to walk. This injury just showed up on her last long run. She wasn't sure if she was even going to finish today. She tried stretching it out and ran and walked to finish sub 5 hrs at around 4:51. She showed how tough she is today. She will be doing the Marine Corp 10 K on October 31st. She and Robert will be doing the Solar Eclipse Run next November in Port Arthur Australia.

It was a great day for me since I worked the finish line handing out medals and was able to see all three of them finish. It was fun to watch a marathon instead of running one. It was really inspiring watching everyone finish. One woman who finished in just over five hours burst into tears she was so moved by her finish. Marathons are that tough and that emotional. She had me on the verge of tears as well. I cried when I finished my marathon in Madison that I dedicated to my mom.

Thanks Kim, Robert and Cheryl for running for Team CMT. I am so proud of all of you!

Chris Wodke
Founder & Manager Team CMT
www.run4cmt.com

Team CMT is a group of athletes and supporters working to raise awareness and to find a cure for CMT. We have almost 100 members in 17 states. If you wish to join us visit our web site.

CMT or Charcot-Marie-Tooth is the most commonly inherited peripheral neuropathy. It affects over 155,000 Americans (as many as MS). It is a disease of the nerves that control the muscles. It is slowly progressive, causing loss of normal function and or sensation in the lower legs/feet and arms/hands.

Symptoms include; muscle wasting in the lower legs and feet leading to foot drop, poor balance and gait problems Atrophy in the hands causes difficulty with manual dexterity.

Structural foot deformities such as high arches and hammer toes are common.

Poor tolerance for cool or cold temperatures and many people have chronically cold hands and feet.